On November 3, 2015, Pennsylvania voters will elect there new State Supreme Court Justices in partisan elections. There will be three Democrats, three Republicans, and probably one independent candidate. The independent candidate is Paul Panepinto, who switched his registration from Republican to independent in March 2015. He needs 16,639 valid signatures by August 3, 2015. A news story of July 27 says he has 22,000 signatures.

The last time a minor party or independent candidate for Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court was on the ballot was in November 1993, when Patriot Party nominee Robert Surrick qualified. Surrick was somewhat famous as a long-time advocate of reform for Pennsylvania state courts, but he only polled 5.4%. Assuming Panepinto gets on the November 2015 ballot, the straight-ticket device will impede his chances for winning. He has been rated qualified by the Bar Association and has been a judge on the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas for several decades. See this story.